You can obtain a residence permit if you wish to work in Germany in a profession that requires qualified vocational training. This means that you have completed vocational training in a state-recognized or comparably regulated vocational field.

The training must have lasted at least 2 years. If you completed your vocational training abroad, the competent recognition authority must determine whether your qualification is equivalent to a German, qualified vocational training program. A competent recognition authority could be, for example, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

In order for you to receive a residence permit, the Federal Employment Agency must generally approve it. The agency reviews

• whether the working conditions correspond to those of comparable German employees and
• whether a domestic employment relationship exists.

The residence permit is issued for four years or, if the period is shorter, for the duration of the employment relationship plus three months.